Lawn-mower with tipping device for the bin

ABSTRACT

A lawn mower includes a bearing frame, a grass cutting unit located beneath the bearing frame, a system for taking the grass clippings, a catcher for collecting the grass clippings located above the bearing frame, a duct for conveying the grass clippings from the system for taking the grass clippings to the catcher, a second frame arranged between the catcher and the bearing frame, wherein the second frame is hinged to the bearing frame so as to enable the catcher to assume a working configuration at which the catcher is lowered and an emptying configuration at which the catcher is raised with respect to the bearing frame.

The present invention relates to a lawn mower. More particularly, theinvention concerns a lawn mower of a type provided with means forcollecting the grass clippings produced during cutting.

It is known that, since grass grows in a fast and disordered manner, aperiodic maintenance of the lawns is required.

If on the one hand the maintenance of motorway greens and of public orhouse gardens is substantially dictated by aesthetic requirements, onthe other hand the maintenance of lawns such as those of golf courses,stadiums and sports grounds is in general dictated by functionalrequirements. Indeed, it is clear that a carefully maintained lawn is anessential requirement to allow sportsmen to perform at their best.

For lawn mowing, mowers having a grass-cutting unit are known.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,006 discloses a riding lawn mower comprising acutting unit in its front part and a turbine for sucking grassclippings, which are sent through an upward conduit into a tiltablecatcher located in the rear part of the mower.

The mower of the described kind is rather bulky and difficult to bemanoeuvred. Further, it does not, allow discharging grass onto a raisedplane such as the bin of a truck or a trailer.

Non-riding lawn mowers are also known, such as those manufactured andsold by the Applicant, which can be connected to a tractor and comprisea cutting unit equipped with multiple blades or knives distributedacross the mower width. Thus, at each tractor passage, a significantlawn area is mowed.

However, in lawn mowers of that kind the grass clippings remain on thelawn and are not collected. Clearly, such mowing is U.S. Pat. No.5,193,882 discloses a lawn mower comprising a bearing frame, a grasscutting unit, means for taking the grass clippings, a catcher forcollecting the grass clippings, a duct for conveying the grass clippingsfrom the taking means to the container and a second frame arrangedbetween the catcher and the bearing frame. The second frame is hinged tothe bearing frame so that the catcher presents a first workingconfiguration in which the catcher is lowered and an emptyingconfiguration in which the catcher is raised with respect to the bearingframe.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,231 describes a device to be attached to acommercial lawn mower. The device generally includes a debris chutewhich attaches to the lawn mower at its debris outlet, agasoline-motor-driven mechanical blower and a debris collectionreceptacle. First and second sections of flexible tubing are utilized torespectively attach the chute and blower, and the blower and collectionreceptacle.

FR 2746253 discloses a folder for a lawn mower, said folder consistingof a lower section, the primary end of which is connected to the body ofthe mower, and of an upper section, the primary end of which isconnected to the other end of the lower. A lifting jack operates thefolder between a lower position, where the linkage is folded and theupper and lower sections are close together, and an upper position,where the sections are elongated and separated from each other. A secondjack is added to control a tipping arm to pivot a grass box.

DE 4129640 describes a mobile trailer having two independent trailingwheels rotating and swiveling about separate vertical stub axles mountedon a horizontal transverse bar attached to the chassis. The collectingreceptacle is mounted on two parallel guides in which it is raised foremptying or lowered for collecting. not aesthetically satisfactory andit does not allow optimum performance of a sports activity.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lawn mower whichis of limited size, compact and equipped with a catcher for collectingthe grass clippings, and which allows an easy discharge of the collectedgrass clippings.

The above and other objects are achieved by means of the lawn mower asclaimed in the appended claims.

It is known that an essential aspect in lawn mowing concerns disposal ofgrass clippings.

The mower of the invention is advantageously equipped with a hydraulicactuation system allowing raising and/or tilting the catcher anddischarging its contents, for instance into suitable containers forgrass disposal.

For an optimum yield and for lawn mowing also in the less accessibleareas, the mower must exhibit a high degree of manoeuvrability.

Advantageously, the mower can be used in connection with any kind oftractor equipped with a universal three-point linkage and of two-wayfluid power takeoff.

The invention will now be described in detail with particular referenceto the accompanying drawings, given only by way of non limiting example,in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the rear side of the lawn moweraccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the mower of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the mower of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 a-4 c are side views showing the mower of FIG. 1 during emptyingof the grass-collecting catcher.

FIG. 1 shows a lawn mower according to the invention, generally denotedby reference numeral 1.

Mower 1 according to the invention substantially comprises a firstbearing frame 4, a second frame 6 hinged to and above the first frame 4,a cutting unit 9 arranged beneath frame 4 and a grass-collecting catcher15, located above the second frame 6.

Catcher 15 is preferably made of plastic material and is hinged at itsrear side onto the second frame 6 so as to be tiltable, as it will bedisclosed in detail hereinbelow.

Catcher 15 further includes a rear wall 23 hinged at its upper side sothat it can be raised to allow discharging catcher 15.

The hinge of wall 23 comprises a pair of lever 25 radially secured toand cantilevering from a transversal tube 26, which is rotatable withina pair of supports 28 on catcher 15. A pair of actuating levers 39 ismoreover provided at the ends of tube 26 to rotate tube 26 andconsequently levers 25. Rotation of levers 25 is controlled throughrigid tie-rods (not shown) hinged on, said frame 6. A pair of airsprings 41 is also provided between said levers 25 and said catcher 15,to ensure tight closing of wall 23 against the surface of catcher 15.

In the illustrated embodiment, frame 4 and frame 6 are obtained bywelding or bolting a plurality of metal crosspieces or section bars.

More specifically, frame 4 substantially comprises a pair of hexagonalside walls arranged on the sides of mower 1 and defining correspondingupper, lower and oblique crosspieces 4 b, 4 c and 4 d, respectively, offrame 4.

Four uprights 24, each carried by a corresponding caster 3, are moreoverprovided at the corners of frame 4 to support frame 4 at the properdistance from ground and to allow mower 1 to be drawn during operation.

The pair of lower crosspieces 4 c bears cutting unit 9, which is ofconventional type and comprises a plurality of rotating knives locatedinside a deck or housing 10.

Advantageously, cutting unit 9 is further provided with a suctionturbine 11 to suck grass clippings beneath deck 10 and to send themthrough an upward path and into catcher 15 located above the secondframe 6.

Both cutting unit 9 and suction turbine 11 are actuated through akinematic chain talking the motion from the tractor drawing the mower.

Referring now to FIG. 2, said upward path comprises a flexible duct 12that is fitted at its lower end into a flange 16 located at the outletport of turbine 11, and at its upper end into a second flange 18horizontally cantilevered on the side of frame 4 through a verticalbracket 19.

Above the second flange 18, and downstream of it along the grassclippings path, an elbow 13 is provided that laterally ends into catcher15 through an opening provided in one of the side walls of catcher 15.

Advantageously, elbow 13 is removably fitted into the second flange 18so as to be disconnectable from flange 18 when catcher 15 is tilted tobe emptied, as disclosed in detail hereinafter.

Still referring to FIG. 2, mower 1 is further equipped with aconventional three-point linkage 2, 5, 19 allowing connection of mower 1behind a conventional agricultural tractor, as well as with a connection7 for receiving the motion from the tractor through a cardan shaftconnected, to the power takeoff in the tractor.

As better shown in FIG. 3, the second frame 6 supporting catcher 15 isarticulated onto the first frame 4 through a pair of outer arms 37 a anda pair of inner arms 37 b, pivotally connected to frame 6 and to uppercrosspiece 4 b of frame 4.

More specifically, arm 37 a extends from pivot pin 36 provided at thefront end of frame 6 to pivot pin 35 located substantially at the middleof upper crosspiece 4 b in frame 4. Arm 37 b extends instead from pivotpin 38 provided on frame 4 to pivot pin 31 located at the rear end ofupper crosspiece 4 b in frame 4.

Turning again to FIG. 1, said inner arms 37 b are joined, incorrespondence of pivot pins 31, by a transversally arranged crosspiece32, axially aligned with pivot pins 31 and having welded thereto twocantilevered levers 29.

Thanks to said levers 29, crosspiece 32 can be rotated by means ofcorresponding hydraulic cylinders 17 located between said levers 29 andframe 4.

A connection rod 34 hinged onto a pair of plates 33 is moreover providedbetween outer arms 37 a and inner arms 37 b.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 a to 4 c, the, operation of the emptying systemof the lawn mower of the invention will be disclosed in detail.

Starting from the configuration in FIG. 4 a, showing mower 1 withcatcher 15 in closed and collecting condition, hydraulic cylinders 17act on levers 29 rotating them downwards and consequently rotatingcrosspiece 32 connecting inner arms 37 b.

Thus, thanks to connecting rod 34, outer arms 37 a and inner arms 37 bare upwards rotated so as to lift the corresponding ends and bring themower to the configuration shown in FIG. 4 b.

Now, a hydraulic cylinder 21 arranged between the second frame 6 andcatcher 15 lifts catcher 15 and rotates it about hinges 40 until thecatcher reaches the position shown in FIG. 4 c, where wall 23 of catcher15 is lifted thanks to levers 39 to allow grass discharge.

The reverse passage from the condition shown in FIG. 4 c to that shownin FIG. 4 a occurs by executing the described operational sequence inreverse order.

All movements related with lifting frame 6, tilting catcher 15 andopening wall 23 are performed by means of hydraulic drives.

Advantageously, mower 1 is further equipped with a hydraulic circuitcapable of automatically executing the described operational sequence inboth directions.

Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to a trailedmower, the skilled in the art is however capable of designing also ariding mower made in accordance with the invention.

1-25. (Canceled)
 26. A lawn mower comprising: a first bearing frame; agrass cutting unit, said unit being mounted beneath said first bearingframe; means for taking the grass clippings; a catcher for receiving andcollecting the grass clippings; said means for taking the grassclippings comprising a duct for conveying the grass clippings from saidgrass cutting unit to said catcher; a second frame, arranged betweensaid catcher and said first bearing frame, said second frame beinghinged to the first bearing frame so as to enable said catcher to assumea working configuration at which said catcher is lowered relative to thefirst bearing frame and an emptying configuration at which said catcheris raised with respect to said first bearing frame; wherein, at saidworking configuration said catcher and said cutting unit are verticallyaligned, so that the overall bulk of the mower is substantially the sameas that of said catcher or said cutting unit.
 27. A lawn mower accordingto claim 26, wherein said second frame is hinged to said first bearingframe in a manner such that said second frame remains generally parallelto said first bearing frame while the catcher is being raised andlowered.
 28. A lawn mower according to claim 27, wherein said catchercomprises plastic material.
 29. A lawn mower according to claim 26,wherein said catcher includes a rear wall that can be opened, said wallbeing hinged at its upper side so as to be raised to allow grassdischarge from the catcher.
 30. A lawn mower according to claim 29,wherein the rear wall is hinged to the catcher through a pair of leversradially secured to and cantilevering from a tube rotatable within apair of supports provided on the upper wall of the catcher.
 31. A lawnmower according to claim 30, wherein said tube further comprises a pairof actuating levers arranged at the ends of said tube to rotate the tubeand hence the levers for opening and closing the rear wall.
 32. A lawnmower according to claim 26, wherein said catcher is hinged at its lowerpart to said second frame.
 33. A lawn mower according to claim 32,wherein lifting means are provided between said second frame and saidcatcher, said lifting means arranged to tilt the catcher when it is tobe emptied.
 34. A lawn mower according to claim 33, wherein said liftingmeans includes a hydraulic cylinder.
 35. A lawn mower according to claim26, wherein said first bearing frame comprises a plurality of metalcrosspieces or section bars welded or bolted together.
 36. A lawn moweraccording to claim 35, wherein said first bearing frame comprises a pairof hexagonal side walls arranged on the mower sides and definingcorresponding upper, lower and oblique crosspieces of the first bearingframe.
 37. A lawn mower according to claim 36, wherein said firstbearing frame is supported by four uprights, each carried by acorresponding caster arranged to support the first frame bearing at anappropriate distance from ground and to allow the mower to be drawnduring operation.
 38. A lawn mower according to claim 36, wherein thepair of lower crosspieces bears the cutting unit.
 39. A lawn moweraccording to claim 26, wherein said cutting unit comprises a pluralityof rotary knives housed within a deck or housing.
 40. A lawn moweraccording to claim 26, wherein said grass taking means comprises asuction turbine to suck grass clippings and to send them through saidduct, said catcher located above the second frame.
 41. A lawn moweraccording to claim 40, wherein said duct comprises a flexible duct thatis fitted at its lower end to a flange located at an outlet port of theturbine, and at its upper end to a second flange horizontallycantilevered on the side of frame through a bracket.
 42. A lawn moweraccording to claim 44, wherein an elbow is provided above the secondflange and downstream of the second flange along the path of the grassclippings, the elbow laterally terminating in the catcher through anopening provided in a side wall of the catcher.
 43. A lawn moweraccording to claim 42, wherein said elbow is removably fitted onto thesecond flange so as to be disconnectable from the flange when thecatcher is tilted to be emptied.
 44. A lawn mower according to claim 26,wherein said second frame supporting the catcher is hinged onto thefirst bearing frame through a pair of arms arranged on each side of bothframes, said arms being pivotally connected to the second frame and tothe upper crosspiece of the first bearing frame.
 45. A lawn moweraccording to claim 44, wherein said pair of arms include first, outerarms extending from a pivot pin provided on the front end of the secondframe to a pivot pin located substantially at the middle of the uppercrosspiece of the first bearing frame, and second, inner arms extendingfrom a pivot pin provided on the second frame to a pivot pin located atthe rear end of the upper crosspiece of the first bearing frame.
 46. Alawn mower according to claim 45, wherein said inner arms are joined, incorrespondence of the pins, by a transversely arranged crosspiece havingwelded thereto two cantilevered levers.
 47. A lawn mower according toclaim 46, wherein corresponding hydraulic cylinders are provided betweensaid levers and said first bearing frame, and said levers are rotatablesuch that said crosspiece joining the inner arms may be rotated to liftsaid second frame while keeping the second frame generally parallel tothe first bearing frame.
 48. A lawn mower according to claim 47, whereina connection rod is provided between the outer arms and the inner armsfor each arm pair and is pivotally connected to a pair of plates, eachplate secured to one of said arms.
 49. A lawn mower according to claim33, wherein said first and second actuating means and said means foropening said rear wall are controlled by a hydraulic system carried bysaid mower.
 50. A lawn mower according to claim 26, wherein a standardthree-point linkage and a transmission shaft connected to a powertakeoff are provided for connection to any tractor or self-propelledvehicle.
 51. A lawn mower according to claim 47, wherein said first andsecond actuating means and said means for opening said rear wall arecontrolled by a hydraulic system carried by said mower.